Broken Sunsets
by CoalCompressedIntoPearls
Summary: Peeta was never hijacked by the capitol. Wounded, yes, but never hijacked. This is a short oneshot of how his reunion with Katniss would've been like if that was the case. (I'm just super depressed after seeing the movie. I knew it was going to happen...but my little heart still couldn't take it.)


_I'll see you soon_

_The fiery orb slowly sank beneath the horizon though not before it smears the canvas with a mixture of crimson, violet and blues. The threads of light lingered in the sky and battled with the fast approaching darkness that threatened to consume the sky. _

That was Peeta's favourite colour and sometimes she wondered if the countless nights where he would be tortured had made him forget himself. Her golden boy was hurt. She could see clearly in every interview where his state deteriorated, his once bulky frame thinned, his eyes losing the purity that was it once held but most of all he seemed to have lost his hope for good and love. That was it for her. She couldn't knowingly inflict pain on him any longer. She had sunk to the ground almost broken. What she didn't expect was the cold and heartless leader of District 13 had sent a rescue team for the captured victors at a time that coincided with her break down.

Now, her fingers toyed around with the pearl, rolling it over every inch of her index finger, where essence of Peeta lingered. She could still see the images of them in the arena. The kiss that still inflamed heat inside of her core and the smell of her boy with bread as his lips caressed hers. He made the games bearable. Without him, she was merely a wounded bird with no sky to glide across.

Katniss' eyes fixed themselves onto the large screen in the centre of the control room. She watched as the volunteers, including Gale, make their way deeper into the tribute building. The cameras capturing some of the equipments that had used to torture Peeta, Johanna and Anne. Her heart clenched at the thought, the screeching sound of pain pierced her ears. But it was all pure imagination. She was never there for him when he needed her. She should be. But she wasn't.

"He is back," they had said, "All of them, no casualties."

That was all she needed before her legs took her to the hospital. Scanning the room, she found Anne in Finnick's embrace, crystal droplets coated both of their faces and the relieve on their faces were unmistakable. She smiled weakly to herself, imaging her own reunion with Peeta. Then her eyes locked with a set of challenging yet broken brown ones, Johanna Mason. Her scalp was bare, every inch of her skin seemed to be plagued with scars and her thinned body was the reciprocal of her flawless frame prior to the Third Quarter Quell. Johanna was screaming, telling some nurses to back off, despite the situation Katniss chuckled. Even the gruesome methods of the Capitol hadn't smothered the fire and ferocity in her personality. This was the girl who openly told the Capitol to fuck themselves. This was the girl who risked her life for the betterment of the whole nation. This was Johanna Mason from District 7 who had lost all her loved ones and should be broken but refuses to let Snow win.

"Johanna," said Katniss as she approached her bed, she to conjure up something to say, but the only words that seemed fitting for this moment was, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Johanna said her eyes igniting with hatred for the dictator of the nation, "We'll make them pay one day."

"Did anything happen to District 7?"

Katniss bit her lips remembering what the District 7 rebels had done, "No, they owned the capitol's ass."

Johanna chuckled before her gaze dropped to her hands and seemed suddenly lost in her pool of thoughts.

"He is in there," Johanna suddenly said, "You should go see him. He took the worst out of us three."

Nodding her head quickly, she dashed past the doors into his room. People were screaming for her to stop but all that mattered then was her boy. His face was imprinted with dark lines and circles, black bags beneath his eyes, the sunken cheeks and sockets conjured him into a completely different person. His blue eyes that once held so much hope, love and joy had been replaced with dullness and a gaze that conveyed only sullenness. He looked like a scared animal caged in an unfamiliar room.

Her smiled widen so much that it hurt to smile more. Despite of his physical condition, she was just grateful he was alive.

"Katniss?" Peeta asked uncertain, his feeble frame carrying himself towards her, every step he took seemed difficult, "Katniss."

She opened her mouth to speak but no word escaped, she felt herself closing her mouth and bringing him into the tightest embrace they had ever shared. The warmth of his body merged with hers. The once bulky frame pressed against hers felt so foreign, the muscles and weight he had once had had been lost, but she didn't care, at least he was here.

"I failed you," she whispered into his shoulder.

"You didn't. You didn't fail me as long as you kept yourself safe because as long as you are safe I'm happy."

"Peeta," was all she said before she pulled away and pressed her cracked lips onto his chapped ones. The two wounded animals kissed passionately despite of all that had happened, they knew they still had one another. The salty taste of the kiss lingered in both of their mouths, as the kiss allowed Katniss's tears to merge with their kiss.

"You'll never leave me again, promise me Peeta."

"Never."

"Peeta?" she asked her mind swimming in her own thoughts, her pearl now tucked away. Her fingers tangled themselves in his blonde curls that were now longer than what she remembered before the Quell.

"Yes Katniss?" Peeta said oddly content. Even with all the pain he had endured, everything seemed bright and colour again because of her. One hug. One kiss. Seemed to wash away all the pain and make him forget the pain. It wasn't until he moved to see her face when he winced.

"I was never good with words like you are Peeta, but during the time you were gone, I had so much time to think about us. I realised it wasn't all an act."

She didn't need to explain more. She knew he understood because his smile conveyed everything. His eyes gained the twinkle that once illuminated his clear blue eyes. She was never letting him go. No one will hurt her boy again.


End file.
